Driver arrested in trooper's death admitted to drinking, smoking before crash

EVERETT, Wash. (KOMO) — A 32-year-old man accused of causing a crash that killed a Washington State Patrol trooper admitted to smoking marijuana and having two Coors Lights.

The Lynnwood resident is expected in court Monday, two days after he allegedly was driving on the interstate and crashed into a Washington State Patrol cruiser, killing a 27-year-old trooper.

The three-vehicle crash occurred around 2:52 a.m. Saturday on the 13600 block of southbound Interstate 5 in Marysville, according to officials. The Washington State Patrol said Christopher Gadd started with the WSP on Sept. 16, 2021. He became the 33rd WSP member to die in the line of duty in the agency's 103 years of service, according to the WSP.

In probable cause documents for the suspect's arrest, a deputy said the man admitted to smoking weed and drinking two beers earlier that night.

Gadd is survived by his wife, Cammryn, daughter Kaelyn, father and WSP Trooper David Gadd, mother Gillian and sister Jacqueline, who is a trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety, according to WSP.

Gadd was on patrol Saturday, parked in the grass on the right-side shoulder of the freeway when the collision happened, according to probable cause documents. A witness driving a semi-truck said Gadd's vehicle was "fully marked" with the lights off, the document said, when a speeding black SUV "swerved and struck the rear end" off the patrol vehicle.

The black SUV "bounced off" Gadd's vehicle and went toward "the fast lane and stopped," according to the document. The probable cause document said the witness provided investigators with dash-camera video.

A white van carrying about six people was driving in the fast lane and hit the suspect vehicle, the document said. The van's driver "possibly has a broken leg and a broken wrist," according to the document, and none of the passengers were hurt.

In the probable cause document, the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office deputy said around 3 a.m. they saw Gadd's vehicle destroyed, with Gadd in the driver's seat.

"A few moments later it was determined that [Gadd] had passed away on scene in his vehicle due to the injuries sustained in the collision," the deputy wrote.

The suspect driving the SUV was taken into custody and taken to Providence Regional Medical Center, and the deputy said he was not given any medication or blood while at the hospital. The suspect admitted to "smoking a bowl of marijuana" around 9 p.m. Friday, and having one "drink of alcohol prior to the collision," the deputy wrote.

Officials gave the suspect a preliminary breath test, but he was "unable to perform" in the hospital bed, according to the probable cause document. When he opened his eyes, officials noted they were "bloodshot," the document said.

Later in the document, the deputy said the suspect admitted to having two Coors Lights.

The memorial for Gadd outside WSP's Marysville post has steadily grown since Saturday. Numerous people have dropped off flowers and reflected on Gadd's life.

Editor's Note: The suspect has not been formally charged. He will be identified once charges have been filed.